Vacation Rentals by Owner

LOVE IT!

Guest: Barb&Kent (Logan, WV, USA)
Date of Stay: 04/21/12 Review Submitted: 05/24/12

I thought I had already put a review here so I will do so now in case I hadn't. I cannot say anything higher about this vacation. The accommodations were excellent, the crew and owners fantastic and Key West....well, Key West is Key West.. Thank you, Albert, for helping customize our trip and for giving us Chris/Nancy as our crew. They are awesome!! Chris' knowledge of the waters and area is a lot and Nancy is beyond compare as the hostess on board. I can and do HIGHLY recommend this to anyone interested in a vacation off the beaten path. I hope to do this again. Thanks again!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, tourists without a car, sightseeing.

I want to go Back!!

Guest: GregToGo (Orlando, FL)
Date of Stay: 03/01/12 Review Submitted: 03/15/12

What a wonderful sailing experience. The star watching, sunset and sunrise vision, was such an incredible experience that I can easily recall that moment and feel at peace. I want to go back! Ah well, in the meanwhile I will call upon the power of my mind and enjoy the memories.

Owner response:Thank you so much and of course stay in touch with us! Watch our Face Book Page, like our keywestsailingadventure spot, friend us, ask folks to share and we will make sure that you get lots of fun in the sun photos. See you maybe in the summer or later in the fall! Albert and Ronda

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

All good except the customer service

Guest: Patti D.
Date of Stay: 02/25/12 Review Submitted: 03/23/12

My cousin and I had a great time in Key West. We enjoyed staying on the "Wild Thing". The boat was fine, but the customer service was the absolute worst ever! Rhonda and Albert are great when you are booking and giving them money but they couldn't care less about you when you get there. No one greeted us at the boat even though we called when we arrived at the airport. We got to the boat by 2pm and the girl (Janelle) didn't show up until after 4:30. We had no running water, didn't know how to turn on the stove, the A/C wasnt hooked up correctly, no hot water, no coffee pot that I SPECIFICLY asked for and was promised and had no clue how anything worked on a boat. All we wanted was someone to show us. When Janelle did arrive, she spent about 5 minutes and said she turned on the A/c. Well it wasn't hooked up right so it didn't work. All evening we were without all of the above. We tried over and over again to contact the owners, we left messages on their voicemails many times. Finally at 10:30 that evening Albert called with a very sarcastic attitude. He said he will send someone over the next morning. Someone finally came and helped out but we had to figure out most things ourselves and borrow a coffee pot from the neighbor. I could go on and on about how we had no first mate for our sail which was then delayed for 2 hours and many other things. Our Captain Chris was the highlight of our stay and he found a mate named Jenny from another boat that agreed to come along and she was great too. I would definitely go back to Key West and Definitely stay on a sailboat again but would DEFINITELY NOT stay with these people. They either have no clue about customer service or they are just interested in getting your money.....and I believe it's the latter. And incase they want to deny all this....I have the voicemails and emails etc to prove I'm telling the truth. Oh and they also owned the boat next to us..."The Obsession" the people on that boat were treated the same way and had all the same complaints.

Owner response:We appreciate getting this information and have been going through each item and were surprised that they would submit this to Homeaway. In truth, these guests were inconveniened. One that fell between the cracks, by our phones being down and a poor quality mate that was charged with their check-in. The phones were only down for that day, the mate has been fired for her poor handling of our clients. On the flip side we do not pick up people at the airport. It is 2 miles away and very easy to get to us. Our Insurance company said we are not covered picking up clients. You should be able to tell by the many other coments under other reviews that we are very concerned about our clients and bend over backwards for them. Happy to meet and greet our people at the dock unless it is very late then we check them in by phone. We would welcome another opportunity to make these clients happy. Capt. Albert .

Recommended for:

Had a BLAST with Key West Sailing Adventure!

Guest: Cheryl (Michigan )
Date of Stay: 12/15/11 Review Submitted: 01/04/12

Thank you Albert for customizing our five day stay with Key West Sailing Adventure! You were right; converting one night for an overnight was really a fun choice! Being at anchor along with the extra sunset, and a half day gave us a lot more to our "adventure" and we came back to Michigan with wonderful memories!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great Fun on the boat at the docks, and at sea!

Guest: Tony G.
Date of Stay: 12/15/11 Review Submitted: 01/03/12

HI Captain Albert, Thank you for customizing our five day stay with Key West Sailing Adventure! You were right; converting one night for an overnight was really a fun choice! Being at anchor along with the extra sunset, and a half day gave us a lot more to our "adventure" and we came back to Michigan with wonderful memories! All of our best!

Owner response:It's our pleasure, and, do keep us in mind for any upcoming stays! We have a 42 ft. Irwin, the Moon Dance, we would love to at least show her off to you, if you ever are down here for any reason. And, friend and like our Face Book page facebook.com/keywestsailingadventure share the love of sailing with your friends and bring back friends or family. Argh! me mateys! Albert and Ronda

Recommended for:

The Big Picture

Guest: Steve (Portland, Oregon)
Date of Stay: 09/17/11 Review Submitted: 03/29/12

My wife and I went to key west for a romantic getaway weekend. Capt. Al took us to the islands and reefs for two days and the water was like glass the second day. The food and service was good. I like the idea that he will give you all the privacy you want. Thanks Albert, We'll be back. Steve B. - Portland, Oregon

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great Staff, Great Boat, Many quality activities in one place.

Guest: SezMel (Milwaukee)
Date of Stay: 09/02/11 Review Submitted: 03/01/12

We enjoyed our two night stay with you on Obsession and so did our friend who joined us, Margaret! Being a small owner/operator of a pest control business, I rarely get time to get away and this was such a treat, especially with the flexible scheduling on our sunset sail. Being from Milwaukee I enjoy living in Tampa and never got the chance all these years to come to Key West and now I can say that's one for the bucket list! Great time with your staff who are very accommodating! This outfit knows the local area and they shared some great "secrets" with us. We hope to make this an annual event if work allows again!

Owner response:We are saving a spot for you! And, it could be that you are interested in looking at our latest addition to our boats, Moon Dance, 42 ft. Irwin. Do keep in touch and please friend and like us on facebook.com/keywestsailingadventure share the love of sailing with anyone. Thank you for the high praises, and we look forward to your return. Capt. Albert

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Hot nights ! No refund

Guest: bruno d. (Paris, France)
Date of Stay: 08/29/11 Review Submitted: 11/14/11

We spend 2 nights the the 08/29 and the 08/30 on the boat called "the wild thing". When we arrived, we found a boat which was quite grimy : smelly, and the dish was not that shiny.. In the middle of the first night, the air condionning fell down and did not work at all the second night. As Captain assistants were unable to fix it, they proposed us to sleep on the other boat "Obession" ; this boat was very dirty and stinked because the loo has not been cleant ! So we refused. The assistants gently drove and bought electric vans that we had to set up at 22 pm. After these hot nights, as we met Captain Albert the last day, he told us he would give us back a refund. 2 and a half months later I did have my money back though Captain promised to give me.

Owner response:There are many things you can do to maintain all the machines on a boat. And we do them all. When and if there is a problem we respond immediately. As in this case. The clients called us at 10 PM saying the Air conditioner was not working. I dispatched a crew immediately. Our crew showed up at their boat to find that no immediate cure was available. Not leaving the clients uncomfortable; our crew looked for a late night Drug Store and bought 2 high output fans. They delivered and installed the fans at 1130 PM. We care about our clients. As far as their other compliants; We would have dealt with them in the same manner; immediate response action. They were offered to re-locate. they did not.

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IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR MARGARITAVILLE, LOOK NO FURTHER

Guest: Dave (Delray Beach)
Date of Stay: 06/18/11 Review Submitted: 07/07/11

Although I live in Delray Beach, Florida, I like to visit Key West every so often. I have been going there since I was a young man (I'm now 63). A couple of weeks ago, my wife and I, along with our grown daughter and her boyfriend, rented WILD THING. And what a blast we had! The boat is beautiful and well cared for. It is tied up in what is probably the best boat slip in Key West. The Historic Seaport is a really cool area with great restaurants and bars. In fact, within 100 feet of our boat was the Seaport Wharf bar and restaurant which is as good as it gets. Great food, fantastic view, and excellent music. Oh, and cold beer. Lots and lots of cold beer! But back to the boat. We were met by "Frenchie", a lovely young lady from Canada. She showed us around the boat and explained everything to us. Turns out she was also our first mate when we sailed out to the reef for an afternoon of snorkeling. She is definitely a sweetheart and was very helpful. Once on board, we picked up some cold beer at the nearby grocery store and stocked our refrigerator. Then, we sat back on our beautiful boat, downed a few cervezas, and watched the people walk by. The marina is great and could not be better located. You can walk most places you want to visit, but we opted for renting bikes nearby. Once mobile, we were off and exploring. What fun! After a day biking and drinking, we turned in early. The master stateroom was very nice, with a most comfortable bed. We turned on some soft music, shared some wine, and dozed off to the water gently lapping at our hull. The next morning we were up early as we were planning to sail to the reef. Captain Albert came by to check on us and make sure the boat was ready for the sail. He then introduced us to our captain for the day (Chris) and along with Frenchie, off we went. Frenchie even brought an underwater Seedo for us to use. We had great fun, saw some fantastic fish, and hated to leave the reef. The remainder of our vacation was great and one of the best times we have ever had. I highly recommend this boat if you want a different type vacation. My daughter (26 years old) had a blast, along with her boyfriend and agrees with my recommendation. Why stay in a hotel room or bed and breakfast when you can stay on the water in a beautiful Morgan sailboat? Thank you Captain Albert for such a great time and please give our regards to Captain Chris and Frenchie. See you next time and happy sailing!

Owner response:What a wonderful compliment thank you for making our day! It was a pleasure having you here and this year hope you keep us on your wish list! In the meanwhile, we invite you to friend and like us at facebook.com/keywestsailingadventure share the fun in the sun with others while keeping up with our latest adventures. We have a 42 ft. Irwin Moon Dance - we just added so do plan to come and have a look at her if you are ever in Key West for any reason (of course we want you to stay with us again)...thanks so much, Capt. Albert

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, girls getaway, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Best Accommodations In Key West !!!

Guest: Kathleen and Richard (Yale, MI)
Date of Stay: 03/27/11 Review Submitted: 02/29/12

My husband and I stayed on the Obsession for two nights. The boat was clean and quite comfortable. A storm came up and we were not able to take the original sail we had planned. The captain and his mates worked with us to make sure we got our sail in. The sail was fantastic !!! I have difficulty walking. Albert and his mates helped us with anything we needed to accommodate my needs. The marina area is close to many activities and the pool, oh my the pool was heavenly!! The evening hours were quiet so sleep was not a problem. We would recommend a stay on either boat. Albert and his wife were absolutely wonderful to work with and went above and beyond the call of duty to make our stay the best we have had in Key West. We have been going to Key West for many years and this is by far the absolute best accommodations we have had. Thank you Captain Albert and crew!!!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

An honest review of a fun vacation in key west, a nice boat, and great crew.

Guest: Dave (Edgewater, Maryland)
Date of Stay: 09/26/10 Review Submitted: 10/03/10

My wife, 11 year old daughter, and I stayed aboard the Wildthing for four wonderful nights. We did an overnight with Captain Albert and First Mate Nancy on my wife’s birthday. Nancy cooked us a great fish dinner and breakfast the next day. The weather (i.e. beginning of Tropical Storm Nichole) changed our itinerary somewhat, but Captain Albert was on top of the approaching weather and gave us sound options. We ended up with a great sail, sleeping under the moon, and watching the storms off in the horizon. Once the storm passed, we were able to make it to the reef two days later for a great snorkel (thank you Captain Brad and First Mate Rich). Truly, a great sailing and snorkeling adventure all around. We found the boat to be in very good shape and Nancy had it ready for our arrival. Yes, the boat has only the basic amenities, but this is what we liked about it. We were not looking for a cruise ship or the Hilton, but a solid sailing vessel that promised an adventure; and we found it at Key West Sailing Adventures. Wildthing sails well, is very comfortable, has a good air conditioning system that kept us cool on the hot and humid nights, a refrigerator that kept our drinks and snacks cold, a stereo system so we could listen to our MP3 and IPod, clean bedding and towels, and most importantly, character. Ok, you have to pump the heads and keep them drained, but this is a boat after all. The marina restroom and showers were very clean and convenient. You really can’t beat the location. Dante’s offers a great swimming pool, bar and restaurant; there is excellent coffee and breakfast at the Cuban Coffee Queen; terrific bread, cheese and cake at the Old Town Bakery (I highly recommend the chocolate ganache cake); and bike rentals from Eaton Street Bike Shop all within a few minute walk from the boat. Try the El Siboney restaurant for authentic and affordable Cuban food, the conch ceviche at the Turtle Kraals, fried fresh fish at the B.O. Fish Wagon, the great local crowd at the Schooner Wharf, and don’t forget the wild and crazy times on Duval Street a few blocks away. Everything you will want to see in Key West is a short walk or bike ride from the marina. All three of us give Key West Sailing Adventures (a.k.a. Boom Boom Charters) its captain(s) and crew, and the experience two thumbs up. Thank you for a great vacation. P.S. my daughter is hooked on snorkeling and loved the boat, the dolphins, sea turtles, rays, and plentiful fish.

Owner response:We so appreciate being a part of your vacation and hope that you will plan this summer or fall to join us again! watch our fun adventures on our face book page and friend then like us too. See us at face book keywestsailingadventure keep up with our antics, nice pictures and more! We again thank you for the kind words! Capt. Albert, Ronda, Frenchie and crew

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great Location But The Boat Has Issues

Guest: Steve (Denver)
Date of Stay: 08/11/10 Review Submitted: 08/16/10

The Obsession is located in a great location - but an open, not secure marina. The boat has no amenities. The on-board lights are 50% non-operational. The boat smelled like a septic tank and it was not set up for guests. Capt. Albert is a gem. He tried to make our stay comfortable but it was not. The boat is full of storage and boat parts - but the galley was not prepared and set up for live-aboards. The stereo system did not work, and there is no television on board. I am an ex-captain and live-aboard boat owner and there are many things that could be done to make this sailboat a great vacation. But even when I advised the captain/owner after two days aboard that the lights inside the boat did not work I was told "I know, I have to get to that". If you are going to pay premium prices for an on-board vacation, EVERYTHING should work properly, be set up ready for guests, and not smell like an out-house. The cruise with Capt. Albert was wonderful and he knows the area waters. However, that doesn't make the rest of the stay worth it. The boat, as stated many times on Expedia, was not ready for guests. Additionally - although minor - we had asked for a blender to be on-board for our use and it was not provided along with the other normal kitchen amenities.

Owner response:I remember these folks well. They were very nice but seemed out of step with us. If you look at the vast majority of comments about us they are good to excellent. However, allow me to address their issues: In 15 years at the same location the security has been great and unchallenged ( guards at night) A friendly atmosphere where we all watch out for each other. 15 years w/o incident. They are right about the amenities. We learned and added an amenities basket. Some people leave the 12 volt lights on all the time but there are several of them,. They had plenty of illumination, but they had a bustle of visiting people on the boat almost all of the time. I did not want to bother them. I don't understand about their comment on comfort. Ther is a 9" mattress topped with memory foam? The boat is active; it has sailed to Cuba, Mexico and local week-ends.In closed areas there are boat parts and charts. The galley is fully prepared. I don't understand unless they are talking about the Blender issue. My fault, when they booked they asked for a blender. I said I would bring one from my house. Not another word was said until I got to the boat. Why not remind me, I am friendly. I was like they were waiting for mistakes and complaints. The Stero system works fine and has a 10 disc changer. The smell was an issue for them and I apologize. I was training a new mate to clean. She did not know to put the " blue stuff" in the tanks. There have been no other complaints. In Closing boats need a lot of love. We just spent $8000.00 on upgrades and hired a new mate who knows boats. So if you are visiting and want something special, like a blender, please remind me. Don't test me and complain. I will do whatever i can to make your stay terrific.

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BEST of the Best

Guest: davejet (Miaimi, FL )
Date of Stay: 03/26/10 Review Submitted: 03/31/10

Key West at its Best!!!!!! We stayed on the Obsession! My two boys and by Fiancee! We were in the perfect spot of all of Key West. A short walk to Duvall St and Mallory Square!! The air conditionion on the boat when needed was perfect! Sleeping under the stars and rocking to sleep by the ocean waves was a dream!! The half day sail with Albert and his crew was unforgetable as he let my young boys steer the huge sailing ship as I snapped pictures was unforgettable. Go ahead and stay at a hotel and be an boring or go for an unforgettable adventure and call Albert and book and unforgettable adventure!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Owner response:Thanks for the great praises! We had just renovated the Obsession and are so glad you enjoyed your time with us and hope that you will make us a regular destination vacation!

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Great experience in the Keys

Guest: Tom (Los Angeles, Ca.)
Date of Stay: 03/22/10 Review Submitted: 08/07/10

My wife and I stayed for a few days to enjoy Key West and the area. We really enjoyed the stay aboard and the convenient location. The people were very helpful, accomodating, and even offered to take us to the airport when we left. Our sailing trip out to the reef was wonderful, they provided wine, appetizers, and a great meal. Next time we're in Key West, we'll be doing it again.

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Best time ever in Key West after 40 years of visiting Key West

Guest: Mike (Panama City, Panama)
Date of Stay: 03/10/10 Review Submitted: 08/08/10

I am a vistor of the Keys for more than 40 years and staying with KW Sailing Adventure is the best. You get the best of everthing Key West and it´s surrounding seas have to offer. Old Town Key West, the Hemingway house, the Mel Fisher museum, the Aquarium, the arquitecture, the ambiance, Historical bars and eateries, great shopping and Maollory Docks with it´s sunset show. And this is just the beginning. You get to enjoy the real reason we come to the Keys, the ocean. You get to enjoy the true wonder of the keys on and below the sea, sleep under the stars, eat FRESH seafood with pampering second to none. I will not stay anywhere else.

Owner response:We are happy that you found us! please consider coming back with us this summer or later in the fall. November is such a nice month here and, ask about staying on our latest addition to the fleet Moon Dance, our 42 Ft. Irwin. See you someday again! Albert and Ronda

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, people with disabilities, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, girls getaway, tourists without a car, pet owners, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Key West as a most memorable sailing adventure

Guest: Woe (Cape Cod, MA)
Date of Stay: 02/07/10 Review Submitted: 08/07/10

I didn't know what to expect when I booked with Key West Sailing Adventure and Capt. Albert. I knew Key West from years ago and was expecting a very changed city. Luckily for us the real FL Keys are best seen from the ocean and our stay on Wild Thing - one of the two fine sailing vessals available - was most rewarding and brought back the great memories of how it used to be. Whether a day trip diving on the reef or a simple sunset cruise past Mallory Pier, being on the clear warm seas and experienceing the quiet of being under sail was so relaxing and satisfying.. With magic sunsets and the laid back admosphere of Key West to return to it is hard to emagine anything like it in the USA. Dock side sleeping is a special treat and all of Old Town Key West only a few blocks away. Capt Albert and his crew are most attentive and charming and guided our party to what was happening both in town and on board - highly recommended.

Owner response:We are happy to have given you such a fun time! now, we invite you to please come back! Our latest boat, our 42 ft. Irwin Moon Dance is another nice option and if you liked Wild Thing you will enjoy this boat as well. We are having fun and hope you will look at us again for this summer or next winter. November is so gorgeous here, sunsets are amazing and little to no weather November through March. Thank you for such high praises and kind words. Capt. Albert and crew

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, age 55+, families with teenagers, families with young children, tourists without a car, romantic getaway, sightseeing.

Relaxing Holiday

Guest: hampton1610 (Hampton, Virginia)
Date of Stay: 12/24/09 Review Submitted: 01/08/10

Key West is a very interesting place and we had a very good experience. Everything we wanted to see and do was within walking distance of our sailboat. The sailboat we were assigned, however, was very old and needed updating and a deep cleaning. It was a little cramped for two parents and two adult daughters. There is a lot of climbing in and out of small spaces. Ask for the Wild Thing not the Obsession. Captain Albert was always a phone call away and was very attentive to our needs. The day we went sailing was great. Darcy, the captain, and Ken, the first mate were very professional and engaging.

Owner response:Once again, boats need and require upgrades, which was just completed to the tune of $8000.00. Which is done every couple of years. There is 6'3" headroom. We sailed 5 people to Mexico and back. We had a blast with no such complaints of space issues. If you want a condo with porches that is what you should get. Although our decks are great for sunning and laying about. We now have a new mate who knows boats and is detailed in her cleaning. We did have a sub standard mate for a very short time. There are 2 cabins and 2 bathrooms and a huge main saloon. Our packages with sailing are the "best deal in Key West" I am told by many

Recommended for:Adventure seekers, families with teenagers, families with young children, tourists without a car, romantic getaway.